Swiss Alps

Zermatt is the Matterhorn, car-free, and the most photogenic base in the country, with the Gornergrat railway and skiing possible all year on the glacier. It is also the priciest.

The Jungfrau region (Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren) is the classic first trip: the waterfall valley, the Eiger north face, the Schilthorn and the expensive train up to the Jungfraujoch. Lauterbrunnen and Wengen are quieter than Grindelwald.

For fewer crowds, Engadin and St Moritz have larch forests, high lakes and the Bernina line, the Valais side valleys such as Saas-Fee are cheaper and just as high, and Appenzell trades big peaks for green hills and the Ebenalp cliff inn. Two or three nights per base is the right rhythm; moving daily wastes the passes you paid for.

The signposts give times, not distances, in yellow for easy paths and white-red-white for mountain routes that need proper footwear. The system is unusually reliable, so trust it.

Standout day walks: the Five Lakes Walk above Zermatt with the Matterhorn reflected all the way, the Eiger Trail under the north face, Mürren to Grütschalp along the cliff edge, the Bachalpsee from First above Grindelwald, and the Muottas Muragl panorama trail over the Engadin lakes. The multi-day Haute Route and Via Alpina are the serious options, with mountain huts booked ahead.

In winter this becomes one of the world's great ski regions, with Zermatt, Verbier, St Moritz and the Jungfrau area all linked by the same train network. Non-skiers get cleared winter walking paths, sledging runs and thermal baths at Leukerbad and Scuol.

The scenic routes are attractions in their own right: the Glacier Express between Zermatt and St Moritz, the Bernina Express over the pass to Italy, and the GoldenPass to Montreux. All need seat reservations, and the ordinary regional trains cover the same track for a fraction of the price.

Do the pass maths before booking. The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, buses, boats and many museums, and gives discounts on mountain railways. The Half Fare Card is often better value on a slower trip with two or three cable cars a day. Regional passes such as the Jungfrau or Berner Oberland pass can beat both if you stay put.

This is an expensive country: roughly CHF 300-450 a day for two with a mid-range hotel, half-board and one big mountain excursion. Real savings come from staying in the valley rather than at altitude, eating the hut lunch instead of the restaurant dinner, using supermarket picnics, and skipping the single most expensive excursion (the Jungfraujoch) in favour of the Schilthorn or First.

Late June to September is the hiking season, with high paths clear of snow from roughly early July. Wildflowers peak in late June and early July; September brings crisp air, fewer people and the cattle descending from the high pastures.

December to March is skiing, with the highest prices at Christmas and February half term. April to early June and late October to November are the between-seasons: many lifts shut, some hotels close, and prices drop sharply.

Mountain weather turns fast. Check the webcams and the forecast each morning, carry layers and a rain shell even in August, and remember that the last cable car down is usually well before dinner.